The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-11-25

manufacturer. This reference to the
operation of our tariff laws Is not made
by way Of instruction, but in order that
we may be constantly reminded Of the
manner In which they impose burden
upon those who consume domestic pro-
ducts as well a. those who consume trn-
ported articles, and thus increase tax
upon all our people.
It Is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. IL must be az
tensively continued as the source Of the
governments income, and IN readjust-
ment of our tariff the interests Of Ameri-
can labor engaged in manufactures
should be carefully considered, as well IS
the preservation of our manufacturer
1t may be called protection or by any
other name, but relief from the hardships
and dangers of our present tariff laws
should be devised with especial precau-
ton against imperiling the existence Of
our manufacturing interests. But this
existence should not mean condition
which, without regard to the public wei
fare, or national exingency, must always
insure the realization of immense profits
instead of moderately profitable returns.
As the volume and diversity of our ma
tional activities increase, new recruits
are added to those who desire continue
ton of the advantages which they con-
ceiye the present system of tariff taxation
directly affords them. So stubbornly
have all efforts to reform the present
condition been resisted by those OF our
fellow citizens thus engaged that they
can hardly complain of the suspicion, en-
tertained to certain extent, that there
exists an
Organized Combination All Along the Line
to maintain their advantage We are in
the midst of centennial celebrations,
and with becoming pride we rejoice
In American skill and inge-
nuity, in American energy and
enterprise, and in the wonderful natural
advantages and resources developed by q
century's national growth. Yet when an
attempt is made to justify scheme
which permits tax TO be laid upon
every consumer in the land for the ben
eft of our manufacturers, quite beyond .
reasonable demand for governmental re-
gard, it suits the purposes Of advocacy to
call our manufactures infant industries,
still needing the highest and greatest de-
gree of favor and fostering care that can
be wrung from federal legislation.
1t is also said that the increase In the
price of domestic manufactures resulting
from the present tariff is necessary in
order that higher wages may be paid to
our workingmen employed In manufactr
cries, than are paid for what is called
pauper labor of Europe All will acs
knowledge the force of an argument
which involves the welfare and liberia
compensation of our laboring peop4S
Our labor is honorable in the eyes o.
every American citizen; as it lays the
foundation of our development and
progress, it is entitled, without at
fectation or hypocrisy to the
utmost regard. The standard
of our laborer's life should not be meas
ured by that of any other country less
favored, and they are entitled to their full
share of alfour advantages. BY the lass
census it is made to appear that of the
II, 392, O99 of our population engaged in
all kinds of Industries, ., $40, 493 are em1
ployed in agriculture, 4,074, 236 in profes
sional and personal service q, 944, 657 of
whom are domestic servants and laborers)
while $40, 256 are employed in trade and
transportation and 3, 1877 liz are classed
as employed in manufacturing and min
ing. For present purposes, however, the
last number should be considerably re
duced. Without attempting to enum4
crate all it will be conceded
that there should be deducted from
these which it includes 375, l43 carpen
tiers and joiners, 285, 401 milliners, dress
makers and seamstresses, 172, 726 black
smiths, 1873, 756 tailors and tailoresses,
102, Alb masons, 1924 butchers, Al, 300
bakers, %, 083 plasterers, and 1891 en-
gagged in manufacturing agricultural
| sraVA oa,afc in,
gate to l,214,023, leaving 2,623, 069
persons employed in such man
ufacturing industries as are
Claimed to be Benefited by High Tariff.
To these the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their wages
by resisting change. There should be
no disposition to answer such sugges-
tions by the allegation that they are in
minority among those who labor, and
therefore should forego an advantage in
the interest of low prices for the majority;
their compensation, as may be affected
by the operation of tariff laws, should at
all times be scrupulously kept in view,
and yet with slight reflection they will
not overlook the fact that they are con-
sumers with the rest; that they, too, have
their own wants and those of their fam
lies to supply from their earnings, and
that the price of the necessaries Of life,
as well as the amount of their wages,
will regulate the measure of their wei
fare and comfort.
But the reduction OF taxation de-
manded should be so measured as not to
necessitate or Justify either the loss OF
employment by the workingman nor the
lessening of his wages; and the profits
still remaining to the manufacturer, after
a necessary readjustment, should furnish
no excuse for the sacrifice Of the interests
of his employees either in their oppor-
tunity to work or in the illumination of
their compensation. Nor ran the worker
in manufactures fail to understand that
while high tariff is claimed to be neces-
sary to allow the payment of remunera,
tive wages, it certainly results in very
large increase in the price OF nearly all
sorts of manufactures which, i'll almost
countless forms, he needs for the use of
himself and his family. He receives at
the desk of his employer his wages, and
perhaps before he reaches his home is
obliged, in q purchase for family use of
an article which embraces his own labor,
to return in the payment of the increase
in price which the tariff permits, the
hard learned compensation OF the many
days of toll
The farmer and the agriculturists who
manufacture nothing, but who pay
The Increased Price which the Tarin
Imposes